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Hi, I’m Matthew. I’m a 46 year old gay man living on an island somewhere between Boston and the North Pole.

This blog is intended primarily to share the wealth of images, videos, etc. I’ve come across on the internet with a few friends. But since this is “out there” on the web I guess anyone can see it too.

Except for the occasional photo of my own most of these images, GIFs, and videos I did not create and I do not imply any ownership of them. If you are the owner of any copyrighted image I’ve posted and want it removed please let me know. I don’t have any advertising on this blog and do not make any money from this site.

Hello Mathew, I just came across your site and have been staring at all the images here for about 2 hours now! I love them and thank you for posting such great old photos, ads and of course all the gays! love it!

Your site is quite inspiring. The combination of exceptional photography and culture both modern and vintage is unique. In regard to the mystery sailor you posted on the 15th, you’re right, it is a publicity photo and I believe it is actor Bob Crane, best known for of all things, Hogan’s Heroes. He was evidently quite the wild soul off camera, an alleged bisexual swinger and was murdered under very mysterious circumstances. There were sordid rumors at the time of an SM scenario gone wrong. I don’t think anyone really knows to this day and it’s quite possible by this time that anyone who did know the truth have taken it with them to the next realm.

Hi matthew do you know anymore about the photos of the men in drag from 1800 – I know the top one is an Albanian image of a man dressed in female catholic clothing, but not the others, if you have any info would be great!

I’ve posted pictures of men n drag several times but I think you are referring to the set posed 10/21/14. The only other info I have is that the fourth/last picture is allegedly a “gag” photo from the 1800s where a man’s head was put on a photo of a woman. Do a google image search on the photos and see what you come up with.

Hey, Matthew! From way down in Georgetown, Texas I’ve been combing through your site for a couple of months, now, and I think it’s a formidable and comprehensive salute to…well,…everything that’s important and beautiful in this world. It is an oasis for my eyes and a refreshment for my soul, and I thank you for your effort and hard work.

Hi Matthew. My name is Victor H. Lopez, owner of the copyright image of ‘Sexy Mexican Men’ (the b/w vintage image of the two men wearing sombreros), which is a photograph from my family’s collection ‘Golden Age of Mexican Photography’ TM . Please do me the favor of removing it from your site and anywhere else you may have placed it. Thank you and I look forward to you reply.https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoldAgeMexicanPhoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Victor, I have removed the picture in question per yer request. Or at least I’m pretty sure I did – a vintage photo of two men wearing sombreors with cigarettes and bottles in their hands? That’s the one I just deleted. I apologize to you and your family for using it I had no idea of its provenance or any copyright. Thank you for asking me nicely, as well. If I didn’ delete the right one let me know and I will do so immediately.

I was lead to this link by an ebay listing for a 16mm copy of the movie “Greed”. This is the only known English version of the poster 22×28″ which I discovered in an antique shop and consigned to Heritage Auctions around 2011 when it sold. Your post is around 2013 I’m very curious to know how you came across the image. Don’t worry about any copyright issues since there are non. Your reply would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I have absolutely no recollection of where I found it, maybe try going tot he picture and doing a Google Image Search. It certainly wan’t via any auction site, including ebay, because I don’t buy anything like that poster.

Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying it all. I’m still more inclined to have a blog like this, where I select fewer but better images and throw them up in some sort of continuous, related thread than just posting hundreds or dozens a day of unrelated images on tumblr or pinterest.

The woman in the Miss Kansas photo is my older sister Jane. She was an extraordinary woman, Mother & dancer. She began & ran a fine Ballet School in Kansas City with many students that went on to major ballet companies. We sadly lost her to pancreatic cancer in 2001 which was a devastating loss. Today April 27 would have been her 69th Birthday. We miss her terribly. My brother spotted the photograph on your website. Loved seeing her lovely face. Thought you might wish to know more about her.

Julie, Thank you for taking the time to write and to tell me a little more about the photo of your sister. As you probably noticed if you looked at my site the images posted here are pretty random – but each has a story to tell, a beauty of their own. My brother died 24 years ago and mutual friends post pictures of him on Facebook from time to time and it’s a surprise at first but then I smile and am happy that he has become immortalized on the internet. My best to your family, Matthew

I just want to request you one thing, you have uploaded a picture of one of our greatest Heroes who fought to protect Sri Lanka from British Colony during 1800s. You have tagged it as “grandpa”. As a Sri Lankan, this offends me, but I am sure you are not aware of this person. Can you Please remove this picture? Or give proper respect to this great Hero who dedicated his life for my country, Sri Lanka? Here, I have included the link. Please do not get offended, this is very important to us as Sri Lankans.

Realized I have been enjoying your site now for 2 and a half years and have not thanked you since my initial post. Really, thank you for this superb blog. I look forward to each and every morsel you share.

I’ve been following your site for a couple of years (and systematically going through your earlier posts) and wanted to let you know how much joy you have given me. Your eye is striking. I am always amazed by the men together and the sheer range of what you find in general. As if it matters, I’m an art historian.
With Thanks,
Bob

Thanks, Bob! I’m glad you’re enjoying my posts. It means a lot to me that an art historian is regularly checking in & appreciates some of the images. Here my aesthetic is free, at work I get paid to make things beautiful.

My name is Kevin Davis. I am the founder of Pretty Peculiar Productions. We are currently in production for a Horror film and would like to use the “She Devil” image found on your site. How can we move forward with this?

Hi Kevin,
I don’t own any of the images on this site except, I suppose, the photos I took myself (which I put online with the knowledge anyone can rip them off). As far as I understand, copyrights lapse after a long time and thus many of the vintage images are no longer protected by copyright. If you are referring to the image I posted on Sept. 29 2012 then that is old enough to no longer be copyrighted, for example. As I don’t make any money off of this site I’m not profiting off anyone else’s images – just sharing what I come across and like. For more specific info I suggest asking a lawyer or something.
Cheers, Matthew

Hi Matthew, what a super collection of photos you have put together! I do question the black and white photo labeled “Waving to relatives on the other side of the Berlin Wall, 1950s” (it shows up as the bottom of page 989 on my browser). Construction of what we knew as the Berlin Wall didn’t begin until 1961. Could it be later – or perhaps part of the “Inner German Border” which wasn’t technically the Berlin Wall?

I think it is actually the Berlin Wall and, you’re right, it must be in the early 1960s then since the wall didn’t go up till 1961. I knew that (really I did) but the cars and styles look 1950s and I just didn’t think it through.

I was looking for an image of Clint Walker, when I was led to your blog.
What a terrific site! I’m in the middle of Chemistry finals, but will definitely spend some time looking at older posts. Plus, I have a huge collection of Island of Misfit Toys so feel your blog is the best ever.

Thanks, George! Glad we share the same aesthetic. If doing this blog ever seemed like work I’d probably be less inclined to do it regularly. Living in the wilderness (but with a good internet connection) as I do, I have a little more free time than I would living elsewhere.

I just came across your blog and I love it so much. Pictures are awesome.
I’d like to know if I can use a picture you took of Poseidon, to use it as a cover for a book I’m working on?

That would be awesome. If so, please tell me how should we proceed (if there is anything we need to sign or whatever, I’m not very familiar with that kind of stuff. I would rather buy a stock image but I really do enjoy your pictures).

Alex, Glad you are enjoying the blog! I’m not sure which exact picture you are talking about. Most of the pictures on this blog I just found around the internet and re-posted – I don’t own them or their copyrights. A lot of the vintage stuff is in the public domain now because their copyrights have expired. I have posted a few pictures that I took and if the picture you want to use is one of them I’d be glad to discuss how you could use it in reproduction. Let me know which picture you are talking about though first. – Matthew

Thanks! I do try to stay classy, at least in public. I’ve been to Italy a bunch of times and loved it every time. Skiing around Cortina, a couple of Christmases spent in Taoromina/Sicily, and a bunch of times visiting a friend at her house near Siena.

Hi Matthew and thank you again-I greatly appreciate it. I read your intro to your site and I respect that you are honest about the images. If anyone is interested in the image, please refer them to Etsy …thanks again!

I did delete it back when you asked me to do it. The only place it appears is in your comment (above) so I will have to figure out how to delete your original comment/request and then it will be gone from your comment and the link will be gone too. I don;t know why the link works since it’s not on the blog anymore, only in this comment section which I will delete today so it’s all gone.

I removed it yesterday from the blog post in which it appeared per your request. However, I cannot figure out how to delete the copy you sent in your message yesterday (see above) but when I do I will delete that too.

Hi, Matthew. I’m a GREAT fan of your blog and I reblog a lot of your stuff in my Tumblr. I Hope you don’t mind. Check it out, if you want. It’s Mr. Souza’s Happy Place. Thanks for all the great stuff. Love. Manoel

Hey Manoel! Thanks, glad you’re enjoying the show. I don’t mind in the slightest if you re-post pix – what goes around comes around. (As long you don’t copy every single picture in the exact same order I posted them – that’s actually happened twice). I look forward to checking out your tumblr!

Hi Matthew – I happened across your blog and love the images. From your interest in attractive men to places and history. My husband and I share a good number of things in common with you. Looking forward to more great blog posts! Rob and Tom

Thanks, Rob and Tom! Glad you guys are enjoying the show. I like sharing some of what I come across that I think is beautiful, interesting, or that amuses me. It’s also great to hear comments from people around the world and make a few friends.

Sure thing! I can either add the credit information you supply or I can delete them if you prefer. You know how the internet is – you find things all over the place with no credit or copyright info to copy if you re-post the images.

Hi Matthew, I just wanted to drop in to say hi! I haven´t been on your site for a while, and now I have a lot to catch up! Thank you for posting lovely pictures; everything I like is here; little bit of history, vintage, nature, beauties of the world, etc… Greetings from Croatia! 🙂

Hello Matthew,
I’m intrigued by your blog, you have an amazing eye for art. I am currently in the closet and have been for many years hiding my identity from my family, do you have any suggestions for overcoming these overwhelming feelings of dread. I am not yet ready to come as my family is quite religious.
Thank you
Charlie

Hello Charlie! Glad you are enjoying the blog. Coming out of the closet – how and when – is a personal decision and can vary depending on circumstances. I have no idea how old you are, where you are located, or your circumstances. In general though I would say don’t come out if it’s not safe to do so or if the resulting backlash from family would make you feel so bad you would consider suicide. That said, I have a couple of positive ideas for you. One is to google up some resources that could help you – there are organizations all over the world that help guys in your situation. Maybe some other readers can help out with names of specific organizations/groups? Try to find a place that is run by and for gays as opposed to say your local house of worship. My second suggestion is that you need to build self-confidence. When you feel more secure and accepting about being gay you will be a lot more able to withstand the hate and efforts to crush your soul that sounds like your family and associates might have for you when you come out. Being more secure about your sexuality will also give you the strength to move on with your life – move to another city or country and start again as an out gay man. This takes time (and saving $), but you have to start imagining a life outside & away from your family and associates that won’t accept you for who you are. There are, literally, half a billion gays in the world – you are not alone. You can start to beef up on your self-confidence by exploring gay culture online and eventually coming to realize that it’s nothing to be ashamed of in the slightest. You were born that way, honey. Allow yourself to start to transform the negative into a positive – instead of seeing being gay as a negative/weakness realize that it can be a strength – just as others lean on religion for strength. Cities are generally more liberal than rural areas and that’s why so many gay men flee the country and move to the city. But I urge you to try to figure out how to do this that best fits your situation – being in the closet forever kills you slowly. I’ve seen many turn to alcohol or heavy drugs to escape the self-hate (internalized because all those around them hate gays) and that just makes matter a lot worse. I urge you to explore gay life on the internet and figure out what steps to take to eventually get to the point you are away from all those who would deny the ability to be yourself. It takes time but it gets better. Best wishes.

Dear Matthew, long read no acknowledge (a bit of a Chinese grammar influence). I’m really, really fond of your blog, it is among my permanent markers, and I like your taste in selecting the images. Just a wee little question: would you consider to publish it in long form, enabling infinite scrolling? or making a monthly page with all the pictures in small size, to allow “jumping”? I’m getting anxious with every click in “older posts”. Congrats from a place between Rio de Janeiro and the South Pole!

Thanks! Glad you are enjoying the site and my selections. I understand what you are saying about the format and when I have the time I’ll look into what my options are to upgrade the site and what amount of $ I’m willing to spend to upgrade the site.

The “hippie” image [https://mattsko.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/hippie/] should be attributed to Crawford Barton. It is a copyrighted 1976 image from his first book “Beautiful Men”. All his published works have long been out of print.
Crawford was a famous 1970’s gay photographer who chronicled the men of San Francisco in the 1970. Sadly he was one of the many talented men who succumbed to AIDS. He was a friend of mine; a kind and gentle southerner from Georgia. I used to know the person in the photo but time and age have faded the memories from that unique time and he is now a long remembered face without place or name.
He called and said his goodbye before his death and sent me the photo proofs from his book before his death. Unfortunately, during my long dance with AIDS, I threw out all my love letters, including his. I was featured in one of his photos in the Malcolm Boyd book “Look Back in Joy” copyright 1986 with the essay “The Rains Came”.
Thank you for the site, amazing images from the last century. Memories and dreams and images to thrill.
Gregory

I re-posted your comment under the photo you are talking about, in addition to my reply:

Thanks for the photo credit and the background info! And glad you are enjoying the site. When I think of all the talented and beautiful souls that have been lost to the AIDS crisis I become very humble and sad.

The “Muscular Blond”, the third on Apr 20 is John Pruitt. The photo was taken in the early 1980s by Jim French, the founder of Colt. I have about 60 pics of him, including one take when he was in his 50s. I think he is one of the most physically beautiful men I have ever seen. He was just out of the service when Jim French met him. I’d send you some pics but don’t know how to do so.

Hi Matthew! You created a mystery back in 2015 when you posted a gorgeous jewel at https://mattsko.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/belle-epoque-jewelry-3/ ). You thought it was Belle Epoque/Art Nouveau – but it looks like *no*other piece from that period I’ve seen (and I’ve seen a lot of them). Lots of people have posted it since, but they all point back to you. Do you remember where you found that picture? It’s driving me crazy….

Hi Matthew, Greetings from London.
Just to say thanks for this inspiring site and for
taking the time to share your treasures
with us. It is really appreciated.
Warmest wishes to you and your loved ones
for a positive year ahead.